L i'< lTl D STATl:~S DEP,\ RT\\ E",T 0 F TH E I I\TERI0 R NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

S INSTRUCTIONS IN H01;V TO CO/l/!PLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORJ'1I1S

HISTORIC

Archibald II Davis Plantation (Cypress Hall) ANDIOR COMMON

Same.

STRE'::T Pl NUMBER

W?st side S.R. 1002. 1 mi. south of N.C~ 581 C! fY. fO\N0J .

_ ...O\.C. VICI "lITY OF ~~o:..i.i"d.J,_-\,,~,--_______________ -'..l.-_ _ ___ _

STc~ TE

Ci\TEGORY

___ 01 sni II~T ..;;~~< U I ~_D II'lG(S)

_srR'.JCTUP~

_~SIT"

___ UL'JECT

II."".:V:E

O?VN<:'RSHIP

_PUf:lLlC

_~?flIVATE

_80TH

PU au Ci\~;QU j SIT! ON

__ J ~l PROCESS

;\'~r 3, Helen. Hicks Hilson

ROLL te. t+

COU RTHOU~; r:. RE(.iism·( ,)1= OEcDS.=TC

T! TL E

CODE

STATUS

lOCCUPIED

_UNOCCUPIED

_WORI< IN PROGRESS

~\CCE ISLE

_YES: ReSTRICTED

__ YES: Ui'JF,ESTRICTED

x-r--m

N

_NOT FOR PUBUCAT~ON ._----CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

~i.!..rii--. _______________ _ COUNTY

-.XAGRICUUURE

_COMMERCIAL

__ EDUCA TiOi\l,1\L

CODE

_1V1USEUi\,j

_~PARK

Y-PRIVATE RESIDeNCE

__ ENTERTAINMENT __ .REIYJIOUS

_GOVERNMENT

_II'lDUSTRI,)'L

___ M I LIT Al'iY

ST/~ TE

---- ----------~--SlATE

--_.--_._-_. __ . __ ._-- ----------.-.. -- ._----------------.-------_ .. _-- .----.---.. -------

Y~EXCELLENT

~GOOD

LFAIR

N

_DETERIORATED

_RUINS

_UNEXPOSED

o _UNALTERED

~ALTERED

1LORIGINAL SITE

DATE ___ _

AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOVVN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

The Archibald Davis Plantation, is a complete and well~preserved plantation complex; the house and most of the sixteen or more outbuildings are kept in good condition as part of a still-working farm. The few alterations and the intrusion of a mobile home and a modern tenant house are less important than the completeness of the complex and the fact that the farm is one of the fel;,l plantation complexes in the county still in full use

The house, 'which faces south, stands on a slight rise, and around it are arranged in roughly an L shape several of the outbuildings Along a path to the east of the house is a line of tobacco barns, many of them of logs, and at its end a small barn To the northwest of the yard several hundred yards is another, larger baing Both barns have gable roofs and are typical representatives of their kind. The house, the out­buildings 'Hithin the yard, and the "tracling post" near the drive"\;IJay are of particular interest and deserve individual description

The d"liTelling is a large two-story frame structure \vith a tl;'Tentieth century rear e1.1 Hhich does not detract from the house. The house is of traditional form, two 8tories high and five bays wide, with rather narrow windows containing nine-aver-nine s8.sh at both levels and four-over-four sash in the small gable \'lindoT~ls A cav 1897 photograph shows its original appearance, with uninterrupted gable roof and a very hand­some p2dimeLl.-ted Doric entrance porch hinting at the Greek Revival finish of the interior. Shortly after this photograph was taken, the porch Has changed to the present full-width on~-story one with turned Doric posts· in addition, a false central gable was placed at the. front rooflin'e, typical of the many ca ' 1900 houses across the country. In recent years the weatherboarding has been covered with asbestos shingles. These are the only significant alterations The central e.ntrance) set in a simple molded frame, consists of a double door, w'ith Greek Revival moldings framing the six flat panels. The house stands on a foundation of stone blocks Stone blocks are also used in the four large chimneys On the 1;'lest end are tHO chimneys of stone blocks in both base and staclz, 'iTith single smoo th shoulders At the east end the south (front) chimney is of stone blocks \vith smooth shoulders; the s tack is of brick, and the north chimney is of brick laid in one-to ..... five common bond, I;,litll. stepped shoulders

The interior follo~\7s a cente:c~hall plan tl;W rooms deep, 'with the spacious hall containing an impressive stair--atypical in a COUEty \\lhere simple enr::losed stairs and h8.l1-.::rnC!-parlor pl,'3ns a.re the norm The finish is of handsome Greek Revival char;lcter tl1 roughout, 'CV'ith some carryover Federal elements ~ Doors and \vindcnvs are framed by very robust. symmetrical moldings, and most doors have six flat panels \IJi th Greek Revival

and roundel cornerblocks; many have handsome Carpenter locks. The doors to the right two rooms, however, have six flush panels (flat on the reverse side). Also used on the first floor is a handsome flat-paneled wainscot with wide Greek Revival

around the panels. The. i;'7incim'1 frames continue dO\,vTl':'Tarc1 the ,'Jail'scot i::~) foym pedes tals and break out from the baseboa.rd. '\'Thich. is richly rnoldcd The s l::o.ir

rises in two flights with an intervening tranSV2rse landing sOllt:h--to --nor th "lJO~I;_~ th~= ~'/est l>fall Slim in balusters and n squdre post molded rail" the open string is unadorned.

The front Nest parlor is the most elabora treated room) \'7:lth all the \'lOoch'lOrk

Na. 1.0-300a 10-7;'.)

Ul'~ITED STATES Di::P/d-zTfV'lENT OF 1 H li"J 'RlOn Nf-\TI ONr~ L i-:lAR:< s:::nV!CE

CONTI ITEM NUfV18EJl

\\Jell preserved. It has an impressive mantel of FederAl fOLin but 'C,Jit~l a heaviness relating it to the Greek Revival style Symmetrically lnolded pi lasters carry a "Tid e molded architrave above which break out the elements of three-part mantel The back­band around the fire opening i.E:; diagonally reeded) (llJrl the lasters ATe reed,~d CiS \'Jc::1J as sYTJmetrically mold ed 0 The end b locks and center: LcJ bl £lat-pan'21~·d ~ [i i-I)

a band of vertical reed extends beneath the three-part cornice and shelf

The mantel:in the 2&r \,12.St rGom is a i,:~(i \TE.:rsion of thi0 OEep Thn,t,:: in tiv: front: ea:3L: parloL ha::.: lC2d Co. pilasters and d cable CH(,lc1 (}n th2 al:dlit.-r8.ve.. Other mantels ~lre I'ctther s le 3 ical ones, \,ytth a pane cd frie~-;e ab(nn~ th~~ fiLe op a £cyrm occul'ing in GCCllgiCln-"s , but hi?\' j-rea 1;.Tith Greel~ Hevi\/:ll mo:Ldilj That in the front ea,st second-story room has stet's '>7ith a cable molding

Of the s,_,;veral outbui ~ all are of fraTw:: oc 10 kitchen, a substantial, well-constructed stone blll),ding.

cons ['Cue tion bu tone; l'.he In R COllnty \17h2re stone

'd~ound, ie is among the very fpw stone build s. Standing llLLld 1;'1) I Ut J, (:::Ol':'CCfiLC:t:f ;, ia(~.Ll [tie £lou ~;e)

Hicld(j'>lS occur: in trH:: side: ele-,}at Oil:-:i, It'is of c. u t b 102.k.8 () i:

door, TrL.'=.d.cl(~} !.::he l,-Ialls and c ~Ire plastered fl.')] tll 8.',ddenc:p. 2) ~ ;1 j-Jd

the 18'-inch-the floo~ is paved with large flat stone blocks Window thic k T"rall s a:ce and contain ·si'x:-o\j(~r:; sai311, 'L'hc:, fixe if:; ve}~y

with gre3t stones f st~Jnes .four FCt:,t high s t'.) L1 e 6 by 12 jill:: rl E::' :,;

in a post~and·:~ ill.e.l con::": true tion: the post~s a:ce 14 by 1.2 inc1tr.::~:;, the lintel is "1 feet long of

of the (' a t\.7o--1evel bake oven :I inee! \'it:l1 brick,

tT2ar and to tbc' "'7e~:;t of the tchen a e t'i:fO srtl,'.11 ;-;hecl hui:~d oino particul,JT [\;orthr=:a,st of t.::he lcitcherJ is a smalJ:, PJ ('inl:(-=sque \le11 hrnts,e of G'~'('~ek,

I s I~ Cl n ;:-1 S 0 [l

is b'JundcL1 a (' PTnen tE:c1 f ounda cion cornerposts t'ceatecl ,1'

I) col>ahly Doric

Cl II E' 1.- ::; ton e , as t ('0: ::: ~ \1h :}J:: h. car r y a

n frieze heneath the of the '1: oof,~ A band of three 'df.-::~. they,·

hC'Clrds fills ~in the .lm,rer portion of the \,1alls~ and hove than i.s i:iia Th("'l.'c ~LS a doo.c on thl? south ide. also Llttice,j alH)v0c 1,)eatlleL'hoarc1

lattic(,':Iork is

'Jcll'-pcesec,Jed and S 011":' of tIle fe1;) such struCLUT'CC' rjf- :its kind in dle (~uunty> thr.'c', one reco:cc1c::d of 31,Jch "lrl'httecl,::uL'::Ll Ch:LC3ctcr,

t, jo:iof'd fae sout:it

1 iii' ate 'I \'Je:=li:1J(.'.r:)1 J.:}{'cl p;1:'~

Th:~ tn(~Clr l: ::~ t t h(,,:: h,) l( P -:-:=1 hOI1 s e:l: r \\,[1 c: ~~: q IJ .C::L ,1 i= i t

cell:! c () f cut ,I> t:~ n.1? b L) he I.'

Cd h of consL\lfe:'l :: ~I, I '

L t:= J

I'jo. 1,O-3003 10- 7,1)

UNITED STATES DEPA RT[v1ENT OF THE I NTt-:RIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

CONTI NUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7

FOR NPS USE ONLY

RECEIVED

PAGE t~"o

tall gable-roof building typical of its function To the northeast of the pea house is a chicken coop Continuing around the L, to the northeast of the house is a pair of frame struc Lures each with a gable roof and large Ci [one chimney; mOt> [ recently they 'ider::e

tenant houses and may originally have been slave houses. That nearest the house is relatively intact; the easternmost one is all but gone, ~17ith foundations and chimney remaining. The surviving one has doors in both levels at the end opposite the chimney, and Cl ",inUO';'7 and i::l dour at the front elevation. Ii... Is quite simpl) finished inside and out As mentioned above, there are along the path to the east of the house a number of

tobacco barns, some covered over with more recent surface treatment; there is also a log structure used as a tobacco stripping room, and, at the end of the road, a small barn

Southeast of the house, where the farm path joins a small unpaved road (said to have been originally the stage road from \vilmington to Richmond) that leads to the

highl,lTay, there is an interesting building said to have been a trading post or stagecoach itop Its steep gable roof extends Ilnbroken to cover an engaged porch in front and rooms in the back. On the east side is a double-shoulder chimney of stone blocks. There are several doors; windows are covered with batten shutters The interior ha~~ be(C'n re\'lOrked, but partition \,mlls of horizontal boards survive. The form of the building and the double-shoulder chimney suggest it may predate the main dwelling.

PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOVV

___ PilEHi STORIC ---ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC __ COMMUNITY PLANNI NG

___ .14.00-1499 ---ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION

___ 1500-1 S99 2LAGRICULTURE _ECOt'-JOMICS

_130iJ-1699 ::;->LARCHITECTURE _EDUCATION

__ 1700-1799 ---ART _ENGINEERING

_.1(1800-1899 __ COMMERCE _EXPLORi\ TION/SETTLEMENT

._1900- _COMMUNICATIONS _It'-JDUSTRY

_INVENTION

_LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

_LAW

_LITERATURE

_MILITARY

_i'vlUSIC

_PHILOSOPHY

_POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

S PFCI FI r. DATES BUI LDERI ARCH ITECT

ST,L\TEMENT OF SIGNI

_REUGlmJ

_SCIENCE

_SCULPTURE

_SOCIAl/HUMANITARIAN

_THEATER

_TRANSPORTATION

_OTHER (SPECIFY)

The Archibald H Davis Plantation is an unusually complete and ·well-preserved cLL!.LeLH::~J_Um plantation complex, \'lith an early Greek Revival d\velling and an excellent collection of outbuildings--one of the largest and best-preserved such groups in this r~:-edor.1inaIltly agricuJtu~al county Especially notable are the frame "trading post l1 and the 1cii:chen built of bloc~::s of native stone, a material used in foundations and chianeys ttre''JllQ:;:lO'lt the complex Planter Archibald H. Davis, for '>lhom the present house aEd outbuildings evidently were built, inherited the land from his father about 1821 After it vas lust dltring Reconstruction, the plantation was purchased by A. W. Wilson, and it hac; been occupied by John O. \.'Tilson and his heirs since that time

----------------~-----------

ArchJbald Davis \'laS a planter 'l;vith large land holdings, many slaves, and a large L His will of 1821 divided a total of nearly 5 000 acres among his three sons ..-: .. nd Iiec~rly 100 slaves among his sons and seven daughters To his son Thomas I;'ler-;.t his ~lu~e plantation, and to another son, Archibald H. Davis went a plantation on Cypress

containing 1,153 acres more or'less, plus 13 slaves, and the stock, plantation to()ls) .::,uld kitchen and household furniture already on the plantation From this it appeCll.S that Archibald may al-ready have been established on this plantation; perhaps the '1tradirc0 post 11 is the early house he lived in on the plantation After the death of his father, in 1321 or 1822, Archibald H. Davis served as executor of his estate and as guardian for at least two of the younger brothers and sisters--John C., and Lucy H. Davis The early Greek Revival finish of the main house suggests a constructioli date in the late 1820[3 or mere probably 1830s

f~chibald H. Davis was a prosperous planter like his father; like others of his class in tlF~ CCi'lnt~'l he m,med a feH thousand acres of land, bet\.'leen fifty and one hllrdred slave:::;) :-lncl had a large farnily, I;,:rho int:ermarried \vith other siDilar families in the areac, His si3ter Lucy married Nicholas B Massenburg of Woodleaf Plantation; his sister Nancy TPTct'iect .JOSiclh Crudup of nearby Vance County, and his sister Elizabeth married Ed-c1ra-cd f\lstoLl) of Harren County. Archibald ma.rried Caroline Cornelia Kearney, and they }~.dcl t\,lO ~:~ons and four daughters all of ~'Thom 1721:e minors at the time of Archibllld 1 s death ~t. n J';:~ 54.)

te, taken Archibald1s brother-in-law and executor Nicholas .:.In idea of the kinds of hOllS~:::JlOlc1 furnj_ture containe_d in the

tools used to the tai:lon

1 Portable IIrrit:

FJfrn ~10 1(l-300d iHC'v.l0·74)

UNITED STATES DEPARTfV1ENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

CONTI NUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8

NPS USE ONLY

PAGE one

1 Rocking Chair, 6 Pictures & frames, 1 silver ladle, 1 Liquor Case ~! Decanter, 1 doz (each of) table and teaspoons, silver forks, 1 set Mahogany Dining Tables, 2 Walnut Tables, 1 Crib, 2 cradles, 15 beds & their furnature, 11 Bedsteads

1 Ell Brandy, 1 E'l Whiskey, 0 0 9 2 Looms & furniture, 1 Fringe Loom & fixtures, Harping Bar E., Screen, 12 Spinning lvheels, 2 pr Spittoons, 8 Carpets, 1 Family Carriage & Harness, 1 Buggy & Harness 3 Yokes Oxen & Yokes, 40 head of Cattle 2 Cotton Gins,S wagons & carts, 1 set Blacksmith Tools (various hoes), 1 Cider Mill, 1 Still, (carpentry tools), 2 Counting Room Desks 1 Show Case, and various produce

Archibald H Davis's will left his wife Cornelia a widow's interest in the home place, and provided that his real estate after her death be divided between his two sons, William Kearney Davis and Thomas lfuitmel Davis His personal property and slaves vere to be divided among all his children~ including the four daughters The large estate included 93 slaves and a sum of money, good debts and nearly 4,000 acres-­described as the residence, the Mitchell Plantation and the Lancaster Plantation. There ,vas also a "Hes tern" Plant:ation The executor, Nicholas B ~ Hassenburg, i"ms to manage the farms for the common good of the' heirs Cornelia died \·lithin a fel:'7 years of her husbClnd.

As each child came of age, petitions were made for the division of the estate. In 1859 William K was allotted his half, including the home tract, Thomas, an 1860 graduate of the University of North Carolina, came into Oi:ffiership of the remainder of the land in 1861. In the spring of that year, Thomas enlisted in the North Carolina troops) and was promoted to second and then first lieutenant, Company C, 8th Regiment. He was captured and paroled in 1862 an~ resigned in 1863 due to illness In 1863 he ITt3.rriec1 Penelope Jones, daughter of Kimbrough Jones of Crabtree, Hake County (NR Crabtree Jones House); her sister, Mary Jones, married Thomas's brother, William K. D3.vis

It was not until January of 1865 that one daughter Maria achieved her majority and obtained from Nassenburg her portion of the inheritance, 'iiThich i;,TaS in Confederate bonds and slaves. lfasserrbllrg's testimony of 1867 in the estate papers notes that the value of her inheritance 'Ivas lost--part of lithe losses .;vhich she, in common "liTith every-

in the South, whose estate were in any way dependent upon slavery, has sustained "

These same losses aff ec ted Haria's brother, \17i1l 'lvho O\·med the home Rod who had served as ian for the younger children. In the late 18603 he began se off pieces of property, and in 1875 ~or much of his land for $5 000. Another: deed of trust '>TaS made to J" J Davis in 188J, includ the howe (or Cypress) tract of 9JO ;:-~cres This ,;vD.s in security for a guardianship of A Norehead In a complicated series of transfers, William K. Davis finally lost the property, anJ it 1,72:::; pu·c.:chased by J. S. Hynne for A Horehead.. In 1894 it \7.1.S ed at auction fi"("f:l h:~L e,st"J.t2 by A II ~\7ilson \1ho deeded it to his son John o. Hilson on HClcch 5 lr!.'J(j It Has the home of JOl1Cl o. ~\Jilson Llost of his adult life, o.nd t J."eIT1ains in the h-:'Ulds of his descendants~ Hho live there and farm the place,

Cor::l::shutt, Catherine 1;.[ Inl:::eryie .. " with Jane Hilson Langley Harch, 1975 Franklin County Records, Franklin County Courthouse, Louisburg, North Carolina

(Subgroup~ Deeds, Wills, Estate papers) Franklin County

(Subgroups Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina Wills, Estate papers)

17" 36" ACREAGE OF /'-IOMINATED PROPERTY ___ ~ ____ _

UTM REFERENCES SE 24" 36" SH 24" 54 11

A W l--,-I---....I--.\I--,-,-,_ r l t 1 BI~ I I I I J. I I I I I I ZONE EASTING NORTHING ZONE EASTING NORTHING

oW I I I I I I r I !.J I I I I I cL~ I I i 1 '1 I I I ! I r LJ

\hRBAL BOUNO,o..RY Dl:SCRIPTION

LIST ALL STATe;:) .4NO CUUi'lTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUi'.JTY BOUNDARIES

STATE CODE COu~nY CODE

STA.E CODE COUNTY

f'I'\ME: / rlTlE

?:(::s~ar_ch and ,qrchitec.: tural description jJy Catherine W. Cockshutt. survey sUDervisor OhC;.L\i'iIZATION DATE

_ ItiJL-lS i n D (l f 1\ r e h Ur£ S ;em c1 B j s tor y SiTlEti [1 NUMKER

109 EEl.St Jones Street. (I TY Ofi TOW N

22 April 1975 TELEPHONE

919/829-7862 STATE

THE EV,L\LU,L\TEO SIGr'IIFICA,NCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS:

N/\TIONAL __ STATE LOCAL,Z_

Officer Di\TE 22 April 1975 ------_. __ ._----"---...... _------- -.-------.~~----- .. - .

PE8T'I :,'ICL!JC)cD II\J n·iE N0,TIONAL RISTER

- _.- -- _.----- _ .... _--- --_._--- ---_. _ ..... ---.---.- .,,---- -----------------.-------~,,--.-------.. \

No 1~)-300a

10-74)

uNITED STATES DEP ARTJ'v1EN T OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NPS USE ONLY

ON SHEET ITEM NUMBER 9 PAGE one

U S Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 NOl.th Carolina

Franklin County,

Archibald !L Davis Plantation Justice vicinity :North Carolina

'il II ~ ___ _

-------

1'1 C Scale:

High~'lay

1:2 11: 1

1974

Comnission I'lap mile

(no USGS map available)

Date:

Latitude Longitude degrees minutes seconds degrees minutes seconds

N1\1 36 03 1..7 ~ 7A 11 54 lTE 36 03 H [{ 78 11 36 SE l( 03 ~..-J 78 11 36

78 11 54

// ,~oc'}:( 1,)"O\..i\-f\

<2(/~--_

/;/l H2:Q

II_O<! -- __

ls~ll'O{) -~6't \2 I /'-

'v ',,-----~,,~ ~(0' "'" "'j '" -'7'-')-

'~\ ,,'W - ,

EY ~-\~!L~ -"

J5'50'

36~05'